I am sat here on a Thursday afternoon, contemplating the meaning of life and also a recent visit I had to a manufacture (not Hublot) last week in Switzerland. During the afternoon I spent walking around the manufacture of a brand I had always overlooked and had the opportunity to talk to staff and getting a feel for their watches, I must say my socks were blown off by the level of finish and also their focus on customer service. Customer service has always been A1+++ with my beloved brand Hublot, but what about the finishing...

So looking down and on my wrist is one of my favourite summer watches, it reminds me of sunny days on holiday on the beach and BBQ's with friends, lots of great memories...

However, I have never really studied it that closely until today...

These are all visible to the eye, not under microscope or needing to open the case! Scratches/pitting on the main plate, bridges, screws and blemishes/fingerprints.

So, I love this watch and it makes me smile when I put it on... however here is a question, is the finishing good enough verses the price you pay? Would you be happy with it? Should only perfect finishes be reserved for the top end pieces? If for example you bought a car (about the same price), would you accept it with scratches inside or is it acceptable as we are talking micro-mechanics?

I'm not ranting or raving or even moaning about Hublot or wanting sympathy, just have you ever studied yours closely and what are your thoughts...

Good point, Andrew. I do look at mine every once in a while. For me, I don't expect Hublot's movement to be flawlessly finished, but I do expect them to work properly, and reliably. There are other watches that have superbly finished movements. It all comes down to what one expects from a watch. I'm fully satisfied when I look at my Big Bangs, knowing they work reliably, and the ceramic cases will stand up to scratches over time.

As Steve Jobs once said, and I might not be quoting this exactly, but you must make the inside as beautiful as the outside...I think Hublot should go above and beyond on everything down to the smallest details, the finish of the screws, the plating, radii's etc. You would be surprised the details that Apple looks into and all the design work and Industrial Design work that makes the smallest parts inside the system that nobody sees beautiful.

If it makes the customer satisfaction and quality of work from Hublot go up, then I think they should definitely do it! It seems like they have to some extent from the early BB movements, and now to the UNICO, they have more and more the ability to improve this as they bring everything in house.

You all bring up good points. Hublot's sucess is based on beautiful, unique designs and exotic materials. Sure, the MP's are nice, but it is the CF and BB's that are the bulk of Hublot's revenue. Don't get me wrong, I love the company and their products, but I personally have become frustrated lately with my favorite company. As Andrew pointed out there are quality concerns, but IMO, it's not just in the finishing.

I wish Hublot would focus less on marketing and more on the quality of their products. I'm affraid they are trading on hype and that by the time their reputation is tarnished by quality concerns, it will be too late to recover. This is a great company and I wish only success, but it needs to be based on quality products and not over-marketing.

As others have said, most of us but Hublot's because we like the designs, materials, etc. You have to admit, they normally do a great job on their multi-component cases.

I think the problem is that Hublot has grown too fast. In less than 10 years, the brand has gone from a has-been of the 80's to a big, group-owned manufacture; from 40 to over 300 employees.

Finding the balance between satisfying exploding demand and ensuring optimal quality and QC can be tricky. I do believe however that Hublot does a much better job with finishing on in-house manufactured parts and movements like the Unico and complicated movements as sell as the Aero Bang dials and module.

There is definitely room for improvement, and Hublot are well aware of this. I think we are slowly seeing things get better, especially as more parts and processes are being moved in-house (they are working on a 2nd manufacture in front of the existing one). It will take time, but I have no doubt they'll get it right eventually.

I agree with you Amr, but Unico and in house represents a small number of the Hublots being sold.

Do you think the price is in line with the finish of the movements (like my white one)? You have seen a lot of brands and are reviewing them, do you believe this kind of finishing is at the same level as other watches on the market at a similar premium price point? I was studing a similar watch yesterday in terms of price and design (AP) and I can only say I was blown away at the finishing.

I also agree with Todd 100%, we are all here and have bought the watches, most importantly we love wearing them and also the brand... But there are concerns... Like the quality over PR!

Would you be happy with this finish on yours just because the design is cool?

looking at your picture I feel the same as you Andrew. 5 months ago I bought my first hublot BB and although I love the way the ceramic look the finishing is not as refined as my other watches in the same price. Not to mention I had to get warranty work only 1 month after... still waiting for my watch to return.

nonetheless I love the way the watch look, but i hope they will improve the qc. Customer service? I couldnt say much here in Asia considering my warranty had to go thru Singapore and takes 3 months to get done.